Triple Trouble 2: Gryffinor Payback
by Bad Luck Novelist
Summary: Last part of the Triple Trouble Series, and sequel to Triple Trouble. At the end of 6th year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to let Sirius, Remus, and Severus experience what babysitting was like...for the summer!
1. The Plotting

- 1 -  
  
"You are dismissed," the misty voice of Sybil Trelawney said, as the students 6th year Gryffindors picked up their books, and headed toward the ladder.  
  
"When I told Fred and George about what happened with Snape, they had an idea on how to get back at him...and Sirius and Remus," Ron Weasley muttered, following Harry Potter down. He ran a hand through his flaming red hair. "I reckon we would get in trouble, though."  
  
"What is it that they told you?" Harry asked. Ron looked at him, amusement in his blue(?) eyes. Harry had messy black hair, which was plastered to his head, because of the heat in the giant insect's room, and bright green eyes.  
  
"We do aging potions for exams, so Fred said that me, you, and Hermione make it to turn us into babies, so Sevvie-dearest would have to care for us!" Ron giggled.  
  
"Sirius and Remus come in were...?" Harry questioned. Ron laughed.  
  
"We invite them to class!" he said, rolling his eyes, "That way, Dumbledore says they take care of us too!"  
  
"I can hear Hermione's voice when we suggest it to her...'RON! HARRY! We can't do that! We'll get in trouble...'" Harry said, laughing. Ron frowned.  
  
"Hermione is flexible. We can get her to agree." he muttered, spotting the brunette waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, 'Mione!"  
  
"What took you so long? I've been waiting for 5 minutes!" Hermione said. She had bushy brown hair, with eyes to match.  
  
"Walking slowly," Harry replied, as they walked in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. "Hermione, we have an idea on how to get back at Snape, Sirius, and Remus..."  
  
"Are you two still going on about that? It was just an accident!" Hermione sighed.  
  
"No it wasn't! If they hadn't had those balls..." Ron started.  
  
"Just tell me your scheme, so I can yell at you about it," she said. Harry shrugged at Ron.  
  
"Ron asked Fred and George, and they said to use the Aging Potion, to turn us into children," Harry replied.  
  
"Then Snape, Sirius, and Remus take care of us!" Ron laughed, "Let them see what a pain in the-"  
  
"Ron, that could hurt us!" she cut him off, "What if we got stuck that way?"  
  
"Then joy, oh joy! No school!" Ron sang, "No books, no quills, NO WORK! Lalalalala! Away with school, away with school!"  
  
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione sighed.  
  
"Come on, Herm," Harry said, "It'll only be for the summer!"  
  
Sighing, Hermione rolled her eyes, and finally said, "Fine! I agree! I swear, Mum will have a cow when she finds out I'm a 6-year-old!"  
  
"'have a cow'?" Ron asked.  
  
"Muggle saying," Harry and Hermione replied.  
  
"Ohhhh!" Ron said. He looked at Harry. "Herms mistaken...I'm aiming for 2-year-old!"  
  
Harry laughed, and shook his head. "Our we trying to get back at them, or kill them?" he asked.  
  
"Both?" 


	2. Whoops, Sorry Professor Snape!

- 1 -  
  
"You will be brewing the Aging Potion for your exam." Severus Snape said silkily, prowling down the rows of desks, "I will be grading it on if you put the ingredients in the right order or not, and the thickness of it."  
  
Severus Snape had long black robes that billowed out behind him as he walked. His eyes were like dark tunnels, cold and black, and his hair was shoulder-length, and was very greasy. The sneer playing on his thin lips showed he was going to be very hard on him that day.  
  
A knock on the door, disturbed his talking. Muttering curses, Snape walked over and opened the door. "Hello, Sevvie, old boy! How have you been?" Sirius Black asked.  
  
"You again?" Snape snarled sarcastically, "And let me guess, Lupin is with you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm right here. How have you been, Severus?" Remus Lupin asked pleasantly. He had short brown hair, gray streaks going through it, even though he was only in his mid-thirties. His eyes were a smoky gray.  
  
"Fine, before you showed up," Snape growled. Sirius laughed. He had black hair, and brown eyes, which were shining brightly.  
  
"Still got that old grudge, eh Sev?" Sirius asked, grinning, "I got over it, why can't you?"  
  
"Mind you both, I am trying to do a class, so would you PLEASE leave?" Snape asked. Remus' eyebrows rose up.  
  
"Class? Oh!" Remus waved at the students, "Hello, Harry!"  
  
"Hi, Remus!" Harry replied, along with Hermione and Ron. Snape rolled his eyes.  
  
"If you must stay, go sit somewhere...away from the students!" he snapped, as Sirius was about to sit on a stool by Harry.  
  
"Fine, geez," they said, walking over to Snape's desk. Ron and Harry looked at each other, and grinned.  
  
When Snape moved away from them to look at the other potions, Harry and Ron started adding the ingredients, Hermione making her own. "I hope this works!" Ron hissed.  
  
"Yeah...I don't feel like becoming old or something," Harry said. Ron snorted.  
  
"I'm not THAT bad at potions, ya know..." he replied softly. Snape walked over, looking down his over-sized nose at them.  
  
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, your potion is to thick," he sneered, dipping a spoon into it, and pulling some out. "Fix it!"  
  
"Dumb old git," they muttered, before working on the potion. Ron motioned to Hermione that it was time, before getting up.  
  
"I'll get more stuff for this potion..." he muttered, in case Snape was listening.  
  
"No, no...I will," Harry sniggered, getting up. They both acting like they were arguing, when Ron accidentally (::cough::asif::cough::) knocked it over. It spilled over Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  
  
"What is going on!?" Snape howlered, as many of the students gasped or screamed. He looked over at them, and snarled.  
  
"Sorry, Professor," they said, holding back from laughing, as they felt a sudden pain sweep through their bodies. 


	3. Plans

- 3 -  
  
Harry, Hermione, and Ron grinned at the startled Potions Master, as they got smaller and smaller, until they were tiny babies. Sirius, Remus, and Snape walked over, and looked down. A tuft of black hair popped out of the robes, along with a red one, and a brown one.  
  
"Harry! Hermione! Ron!" Sirius and Remus gasped. They picked them up, frowning. Snape muttered quite a lot of profanity under his breath, the students near him giving him frowns.  
  
"Those fools..." he breathed. Snape glared at the class. "You all are to work on your potions, while I am gone!"  
  
He swept past to open the door. Snape glanced at the two men, staring at him. "Well? COME ON!" he barked.  
  
Snape stalked down the corridor to the headmaster's office, a fuming Remus and Sirius behind him. He shuddered, saying, "Kit Kats."  
  
The gargoyle moved to the side. They trudged up the staircase, to a closed door. Snape knocked, before entering.  
  
Albus Dumbledore looked at them from his giant desk, smiling. "Severus, don't you have a class to t-" he said, his blue eyes twinkling, "Oh, now I see why you are here."  
  
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were struggling in Sirius and Remus' arms. They sat down at the three seats in front of the desk. "Albus, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley botched up their potion, and it got dumped on them, and Miss Granger, thus this outcome," Snape muttered.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. He stroked his white beard thoughtfully. "Sirius, Remus, may I ask, why you were at the potions class?"  
  
"Just for a visit?" Sirius replied, looking at Remus, who was nodding.  
  
"If my memory serves me right, this same thing happened to you three, the last time you 'visited'," Dumbledore said. Sirius laughed nervously, along with Remus.  
  
"Yeah, we remember that..." Remus replied.  
  
"The students still giggle at me because of that," Snape sighed. Sirius sniggered, grinning at Snape.  
  
"And the students will have another thing to giggle about," Remus said, "We're going to care for these three."  
  
"WHAT?!" Snape and Sirius yelled. Remus looked smug.  
  
"It'll only be fair," he said, 'Plus, I know what they are up to...even though they will never know..James would be so proud....'  
  
"They did do it for us, when this happened." Sirius admitted, "Let's go ahead and do it. It'll be a good chance to spend time with them."  
  
"I am NOT going to baby-sit Potter and his friends!" Snape snarled. Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"Severus," he said, "you have more experience with 1-year-olds then Sirius and Remus. They will need your help."  
  
"1!?" Sirius asked. Dumbledore nodded. Snape muttered.  
  
"Albus, that was a long time ago, and we agreed to forget about it!" Snape snapped, crossing his arms. Dumbledore frowned at him.  
  
"I know that. But times call to bring it back. Severus, please, help them," he said. Snape sighed reluctantly, and nodded his head.  
  
"Fine, Albus. Of all the things I've ever done..." Snape started. Sirius laughed.  
  
"Here, take Hermione," he said, handing the baby girl to Snape. His eyes fell onto the baby, frowning. She giggled, waving her fist in the air.  
  
"Isn't she adorable?" Remus asked, beaming at her.  
  
"Quite," Snape replied dryly. He set her on his lap, where she sat playing with her short hair.  
  
"Dumbledore, where are we going to get baby supplies?" Sirius asked, ticking Harry, giggles following.  
  
"I will-" he started, when Snape hollered in rage. 


	4. Accidents and Dressings

- 4 - Snape handed Hermione to Remus, muttering curses under his breath. The cloth that covered his thighs was wet, sticking to his skin. Sirius laughed, failing to hide his grin.  
  
"Santarius," he murmured, his clothes magically cleaned. Sirius and Remus stared.  
  
"How did you do that? You didn't even use your wand!" Remus asked.  
  
"How could he? He doesn't have one!" Sirius commented.  
  
"Shut up, Black! As nasty a thought as that is, I'm going to overlook it!" Snape snarled, "I am trained in the use of wandless magic. Wands are just foolish trinkets to wave in the air!"  
  
"This would be as good a time as any, to dress them, so, um, those little accidents don't happen again..." Sirius said. Dumbledore waved his wand, and some baby clothes and diapers appeared out of thin air.  
  
Remus grabbed one of the diapers, and lied Hermione on her back on the desk. She giggled, as he dressed her in a plain pink dress, black and red Gryffindor robes, and putting a bow in her hair.  
  
"Albus, you owe me!" Snape hissed, putting a diaper on Ron. He glared at the baby, dressing him in the Gryffindor attire, as did Sirius with Harry.  
  
"What do we do with these monsters?" Snape asked. Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Take them down to the dungeon. You, Sirius, and Remus will be living there until end-of-term, the you will be staying at your mansion," he said. They groaned.  
  
"Ohhh, the nightmare!" Sirius moaned, "But, if it helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I'm ok with it!"  
  
Remus stood up, and put the diaper bag over his shoulder, holding Hermione in his arms. "I say we should leave now," he commented, putting a binkie into her mouth, sucking sounds following, "Sev has a class to teach, and we need to get our rooms set up!"  
  
"That is a good idea," Dumbledore agreed. Snape and Sirius got up, holding a baby each.  
  
"The students will just DIE with laughter," Snape said bitterly, adjusting Ron in his arms, the red-haired boy giving him a wide-eyed grin.  
  
"The students and teachers will be notified, and a playpen set up in your classroom for them," Dumbledore said, "Now, get! Your class awaits!"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I am all American, so I don't know any British terms for the baby stuff, and never had to take care of 1-year-olds. ::shudder:: That means this might take a little research...just a warning! 


	5. Bottle and Dream the Dragon's Doll

Snapey is going to be called 'Severus' instead of 'Snape' from this chapter on.  
  
- 5 -  
  
After putting Hermione in the crib, Severus gracefully swept over to the bathroom door. He gave the baby one last look, before walking in.  
  
Severus stripped, and jumped into the shower. "Me hungwey!!" a wail came from his bedroom.  
  
Snarling, Severus screamed, "BLACK, GET HER!"  
  
"GET HER YOURSELF! YOU'RE THE ONE THAT IS TAKING CARE OF HERMIONE FOR TONIGHT!" was the response. Muttering, Severus climbed out, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  
  
"I am going to get my hands on his neck, if it's the last thing I do!" Severus seethed, picking Hermione up. She wiggled, looking around for her food. He felt around the diaper bag, and took a bottle out.  
  
He sat down on the bed, and set Hermione on his knee. She held the bottle with her little hands, with help from Severus, sucking the formula out of it, looking at him.  
  
Sirius and Remus walked in, Harry toddling in beside them, his thumb in his mouth. Remus was looking back, at the two cribs set up in the other rooms, one of which held a sleeping Ron.  
  
"Ewww! Shut it! Shuuut it!" Sirius whimpered, hiding Harry's eyes. The baby cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Shut up, Black! You're the one that had me drag myself out of the shower!" Severus said, crossing his legs, Hermione grinning around the bottle, at the sudden movement into the air.  
  
"Siweus!" she giggled, "Sevewus! Wemus! Harwy!"  
  
Harry looked up at her, after Sirius let go. He climbed up by Severus, giving him a curious look. Hermione threw the bottle at Remus, hitting him in the stomach.  
  
"It's time for bed, you two!" Remus said, rubbing the sore spot. Harry and Hermione whimpered. "So, let's get your bedtime story read!"  
  
Cheering up enormously, they waited for Sirius to return with a book. Severus had started to burp the little girl, who made little noises here and there. "Is 'Dream the Dragon's Doll' OK?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Otah," Hermione cooed, snuggling against Severus to get warm. He scowled. Harry scooted closer to him, so Sirius and Remus could sit down.  
  
"Ok then! 'Dream the dragon lived with her mommy and daddy. She was happy when they got her a werewolf doll...'" Sirius read. Remus sighed. Looking at him he continued, "'Dream played with her doll, in the sun, and in the rain. She was very sad when the doll fell apart, and cried for many nights...'"  
  
Severus snickered, getting a curious look from Harry and Hermione. He rolled his eyes. "'Mommy dragon told her that she could get another doll. Dream was happy, and took the new doll...'"  
  
Harry and Hermione were fast asleep, drool hanging from their mouths. Severus carried Hermione over to her crib, and tucked her in. "And Dream tore her doll into a million pieces. The end!" he muttered, as Remus took Harry to put him to bed, "If you don't mind, I am going to go take my shower!"  
  
Severus swept away into the bathroom, wondering which hex he should use on Sirius. 


	6. Eathing and Class

- 6 -  
  
Sirius, Remus, and Severus sat at the Great Table; three high chairs were set up at their end of the table, holding Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Remus gave Sirius a small spoon, and tended to Harry, who was eating oatmeal, half of it ending up on his face, his tray, Remus' clothes, or the table. "Eathing!" Harry squealed, playing with the spoon when it was put down.  
  
"Let's see, Harry is at the development were he can say one or two words and walk, Hermione is were she can say short sentences and walk a few seconds, and Ron can't walk yet, but can talk in sentences..." Remus mused.  
  
"And, erm, Harry and Ron can eat a cereal and harder foods then fruit, but Hermione can't," Severus said, watching Hermione feed herself proudly, only a little of the applesauce dribbling onto her chin. He wiped it off.  
  
They had agreed to call each other by first names, not 'Black,' 'Lupin,' 'Potter,' ect. Hermione gave Severus a gummy grin, her few baby teeth visible. "Hermione's growth is slower then the other two, that's all." Sirius commented, "I can teach Ron to walk, by the way..."  
  
"Ok, Sirius. You have control of Ron!" Severus snickered, "And I have Hermione. Remus, that leaves you with Po-Harry."  
  
"It'll be easier that way, if we each take care of a baby," Remus said, wiping Harry's face, who was putting his fist in the mess of food. Severus got hit in the side of the face with oatmeal, when Harry threw a fistful at him.  
  
Severus glared at him, Harry, Ron, and Hermione giggling at him. Many of the students were watching them, laughing at their antics. "You little demon!" he snarled, pawing at his face.  
  
"Severus, you have no sense of humor, do you?" Sirius asked, grinning at him. The professors that were also at the table looked at them, smiles plastered to their faces.  
  
"I don't need this!" Severus sighed, cleaning Hermione up. He picked her up, and set her down on the floor. Severus walked past the table, Hermione stumbling behind him.  
  
"Oh!" the baby fell onto her face. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "WAAAAAAAAH!" she cried.  
  
Sighing, Severus swung her up into his arms, and left, moodily cradling her. Hermione yawned. Severus walked into his classroom, setting her into the playpen.  
  
The 1st year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs grouped around, giggling at the little girl. Severus looked up from his desk, rolling his eyes. "Get back to your seats, before I deduct 100 points!"  
  
Hurrying to their seats, they glanced at the professor. He stood up slowly, sneering. "You potion for the exam is-"  
  
"Sevewus! I mess!" she whimpered, pulling at her robes. Severus sighed, and walked over.  
  
"Where?" he asked. Hermione yanked at the elastic holding her diaper on, kicking at the dolls. Severus growled, and picked her up. "Class, get to work getting your stuff ready, while I tend to Miss Granger..."  
  
Changing her messed diaper, Severus thought about potions, as to not notice her very much. "Owwie!" she squealed, when the bottle of powder hit her.  
  
"Sorry," Severus murmured, rubbing Hermione where it hit. She sighed and nodded, grinning.  
  
Severus returned to class, with Hermione in her pen. 


	7. Nightmareish Day

- 7 -  
  
"Sev, could you get me some Band-Aids?" Sirius asked, cradling a crying Ron. Blood seeped down his legs from the gash on his knees, dying the fabric red.  
  
"Use your wand!" Severus snapped, glaring at him, "You're a wizard!"  
  
"I can't heal though!" Sirius sighed, pulling it out anyway. He murmured some well-chosen words, and the flow stopped, surprisingly.  
  
"What were you doing anyway, Sirius?" Remus asked, giving Harry a toy wand. Gleefully, he waved it around, sparks flying from it at Remus. They caught the hem of his robes on fire. "WHAT THE...!"  
  
Swearing, Remus ran to get his wand. Harry giggled, and waddled over to Hermione. She slid down from the chair, and tripped. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"  
  
"SHUT HER UP!" Sirius screamed, clamping his hands over his ears, trying to drone out the wails. "SHE'S WORST THEN A BANSHEE!"  
  
"SEVERUS, DO SOMETHING!!!" Remus yelled, putting out the fire, his robes smoking. Ron picked up the wand, and threw it. It landed on Severus' lap, and exploded.  
  
He coughed, the smoke from the explosion clearing. Sirius and Remus looked at him, and smiled. He couldn't hold it in; Sirius laughed.  
  
Severus was covered with some black powder. He wiped it off, glaring at them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione giggled. "Sowwy, Sevewus," Ron said.  
  
"This is what we get, for having the three of them in the same room!" Remus sighed, changing into clean robes. Ron whimpered, his cheeks bulging.  
  
"Nothing has happened to me yet! Ha ha!" Sirius gloated, picking him up. "What's wrong, R-"  
  
Ron, at that moment, just happened to throw up on Sirius. Wincing, Sirius set the baby down, and stood up. Severus sneered, holding Hermione on his lap. "'Nothing has happened to me yet!'" he snickered.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Sirius snapped, washing his face off. He glowered, sitting back down. Ron wiggled, licking his small lips.  
  
"Sowwy, Siweus," he muttered.  
  
Exhausted, Severus collapsed onto his bed, with none of his usual grace. Soft breathing emitted from the crib at the end of the bed, the green curtains of the bed trembling every few seconds.  
  
"I will die before the end of Summer Break..." Severus muttered, pulling the sheets up. He rolled over, and the candles went out.  
  
Sirius and Remus were already asleep, Harry and Ron in their cribs. With a startled gasp, Harry woke up. He took hold of the bars, and looked out.  
  
Slowly, the side fell out of the way. Harry crawled over, and sat on the edge. He slid down on the barred wall, until he hit the floor.  
  
Wincing, Harry wobbly walked out. A giant 4-poster bed was in his range of vision, looming over him. A crib was also there, crying coming out of it. He scrambled on short limbs to get up on the bed.  
  
Managing it, Harry grabbed hold of the crib bars and pulled them down. Hermione lie crying, little eyes red and puffy. She crawled out, and onto the bed.  
  
"Where Sevewus?" she asked. Harry cocked his head to the side. The giant lump in the blankets moved, grunting. Hermione crept over, looking at the sleeping man. "Sevewus!"  
  
"Go away..." Severus muttered, rolling over. Hermione pushed him. "Didn't I say-"  
  
He looked at them. "How did you two get out?" he asked, sitting up.  
  
"My mouf hurths," Hermione whined. Severus sighed. He held her on his lap, frowning.  
  
"Lumos," he said, the candles lighting again. Severus pulled her mouth open with his thumb. A few baby teeth were coming through the gum, next to the ones there.  
  
"Teething," Severus mused. He turned to Harry. "Are you teething too?"  
  
"Hurth too!" Harry said. Severus shook his head, and looked. Only 5 teeth were missing. 2 were poking their way through the gums.  
  
"It'll be over soon," he cooed, surprising himself. Hermione sucked her thumb, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Come on, you can stay here...just this once!"  
  
Hermione snuggled against him, just as Harry did. Severus sighed. He was starting to grow soft... 


	8. Love and Potion

- 8 -  
  
"Don't bother my concentration!" Severus snarled, dropping a snake fang into the cauldron. It hissed, and turned a blue hue. Sirius threw his arms up.  
  
"Sorry!" he sighed, "What are you making?"  
  
"A pain-relief potion," Severus replied, mixing powdered dragon horn into it. He nodded his approval, and took a spoon out of his robes, along with three vials.  
  
Severus filled each container to the top, and put corks in the tops, carefully setting them on a shelf. "You do know, that you had me and Remus worried this morning?" Sirius commented casually.  
  
"Why is that?" Severus asked, looking at him. Remus frowned from the chair.  
  
"Harry was gone from his crib. We didn't know where he was!" Remus sighed, "And when we looked for him-"  
  
"We found the most interesting sight...do you know what it was?" Sirius asked smoothly, grinning at the professor.  
  
"No...no, I don't," he said, grabbing hold of the cauldron to stop his shaking hands.  
  
"You sir, with Harry and Hermione, SLEEPING! All bunched together, like a family!" Sirius cried, faking sobs of happiness. Severus scowled, glaring at him.  
  
"Sev, I think you like them!" Remus chipped in, smiling. Ron looked up at Severus, chewing on a purple teething ring. Drool dripped off his chin. Severus shook his head.  
  
"Sevewus lub us!" Hermione squealed, hugging his ankles. Severus' cheeks tinged pink, his eyes going wide. Sirius laughed.  
  
"Remus, get a camera! This is a once-in-a-lifetime look!" he chuckled. Severus edged out of the room, snarling. Hermione skipped after him, falling every five seconds.  
  
Sitting down at his desk, Severus banged his head on the edge of the wood. "I hate myself, I hate myself, I hate myself!" he seethed.  
  
Severus always had rein over his emotions, but sometimes let them out, when no one was watching, of course. Hermione looked up at him from the floor. "Sevewus sad?"  
  
"Severus mad...Severus sad...Severus going to DIE!" he snarled. Hermione pulled herself onto his lap, whimpering.  
  
"Hewmione don't want Sevewus to die...Hewmione lub Sevewus," Hermione cooed. Severus looked at her with dark eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, as warmth he hadn't felt in years spread through him.  
  
"Sirius, what are you doing?" Remus asked, watching his friend. Sirius had his ear pressed against the door.  
  
"Listening. You won't believe what I just heard!" Sirius replied. Remus frowned.  
  
"Sirius, it's wrong to eavesdrop! Stop it!" he said.  
  
"Hermione just said she loves Sev!" Sirius said, ignoring the lecturing Remus. Remus shrugged.  
  
"So? It's understandable. Severus is the one that's been taking care of her the most," Remus replied, sighing. Sirius nodded, smiling.  
  
"Then it is good that Sev is getting a bit of love...it'll do him good!" Sirius mused, sitting down on the couch, Harry giving him a startled look.  
  
"HERMIONE!" screamed the silky voice of Severus. 


	9. Severus' Past

- 9 -  
  
Sirius and Remus jumped up, wands out. They charged in, thinking Voldemort or some other wizard was in, trying to get Hermione. But the sight that met them was anything but that.  
  
A 2-year-old sat on Severus' lap, baby teeth all grown in, smiling and giggling. Her clothes were stretched to maximum, the buttons on her shirt starting to pull off.  
  
Severus was ghost white, sputtering and mumbling. "She started glowing, and grew!" he said, looking at them.  
  
"Calm down, Sev!" Remus said. Sirius picking up the little girl. Hermione wiggled, the stitches finally letting go-the buttons popped, the cloth ripped, and soon shreds lay on the floor beneath.  
  
Remus frowned, and ran out. "Come quick!"  
  
Sirius and Severus walked out, confused. Remus pointed to Ron and Harry, both of which were in the same condition of Hermione. Sirius gave Hermione to Severus, before running to get Ron.  
  
"They have all their baby teeth in!" he said, investigating Ron.  
  
"Yeth, I have teef!" Ron replied.  
  
"Hermione have teeth too!" Hermione giggled, looking at Severus. He let himself smile.  
  
"Yes, you do," he said, patting her head, Hermione beaming. Severus set her down, and walked over to Harry. Hermione ran after him, without tripping.  
  
"Remus, I have teeth too!" Harry squealed, excitedly, grinning at him. Remus picked him up, and looked at Severus.  
  
"They must have aged up to two. It'll go on like this all summer!" Remus said. Severus looked at Hermione, who sucked on her thumb still.  
  
"Remus, has Dumbledore ever told you what happened when we got out of school?" Severus asked. He shook his head. "It went like this..."  
  
- Hogsmeade, 1979 -  
  
"Sevvie darling, could you watch Gin?" Helene Snape asked her husband. Young Severus nodded, and took Ginger Snape's hand, as his wife walked into the china store.  
  
"Daddy, I want to go to Zonko's!" Ginger whined, pulling his hand. Severus looked at her, and frowned.  
  
"You know Mommy said you aren't allowed in there!" he scolded. Ginger cringed.  
  
"But, Daddy..." she said.  
  
"No, Mommy will have my head if I take you, and I'd like to keep it firmly attached to my neck, thank you very much..." Severus said, as Helene came out.  
  
"I found the most darling-" Helene started. Severus clutched his left forearm, wincing at the burning sensation running through it. "Sevvie, what is it? Is it that dreadful Dark M-"  
  
"Shut up!' he hissed, glancing around, "Do you want me caught?"  
  
"Well, no, but..." she paused, "Go on, ahead, honey. I'll take Gin."  
  
"Thanks, dear," Severus said. He walked into an alley. Right before he Apparated, Ginger ran over, and grabbed his hand. Helene grabbed hold of the toddler. They disappeared.  
  
They appeared in a manor, in a large room, filled with people in black cloaks. Severus was also in black. He turned and looked at Ginger and Helene, horror etched across his face. "What...how did you get here?" he choked.  
  
"I don't know, Sevvie," Helene shrugged. Ginger hugged him.  
  
"Why, Severus, you have guest?" Lucius Malfoy asked. He looked down at Helene and Ginger. "Mudblood and half-Mudblood?"  
  
"Shut it, Lucius. This is my wife and child you are talking about!" Severus snarled, glaring at Malfoy. Malfoy backed up, wincing.  
  
"Stop it, both of you!" the voice of Lord Voldemort ordered. They saw the black-cloaked wizard walking toward them, Peter Pettigrew stumbling behind him. "What is this chaos about?"  
  
"Severus brought two Mudbloods with him," Malfoy drawled. Voldemort looked at the two females, red eyes glowing.  
  
"Excellent Severus, we can use them..." Voldemort laughed. Severus scowled.  
  
"This is my wife and child we are talking about! Do I have to keep saying it?" Severus growled.  
  
"You married and muggle-born MUDBLOOD? WHY!" Voldemort roared. Severus looked at them.  
  
"I did not know she was muggle-born, My Lord, until just recently," he lied. Voldemort looked thoughtfully at them.  
  
"One way to fix the situation then." He said, "Lucius! Would you do the honors?"  
  
"Yes, My Lord!" Malfoy said, grinning evilly. He turned to Helene, and pointed his wand at her. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
In a flash of green light, Helene fell, dead before she hit the ground. Severus looked on in horror, a feeling of helplessness and grief falling over him. He grabbed Ginger, and shielded her from Malfoy.  
  
"Severus, what are you doing?" the Death Eaters asked, "That's a Mudblood's spawn you have!"  
  
"No, NO! She is MY child!" he sobbed, holding the crying 4-year-old. Malfoy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Give us the kid, Severus!" he snarled. Severus shook his head, fear in his eyes.  
  
"You give me no choice, Severus. You must be punished." Voldemort said, "Crucio!"  
  
Severus whimpered, and fell. Ginger rolled a few feet away, crying even harder. "Daddy!" she screamed, as Voldemort used Avada Kedavra.  
  
"Ginger! NO!" Severus yelled, tears welling up in his black eyes, as his daughter died right in front of his eyes.  
  
- Severus' chambers, normal time -  
  
"Severus, I never knew..." Remus said. Severus looked at him, his face wet from tears.  
  
"I never told anyone that story." Severus added, "Except Dumbledore. That was the time I turned spy."  
  
"I am so sorry..." the other man replied, "That's why you are so attached to Hermione?"  
  
"I'm afraid so, I guess," Severus said, as a weight got lifted off his shoulders. To talk to someone besides Dumbledore, who surprisingly he trusted, came as a relief. "Never tell anyone about it?"  
  
"Never," Remus smiled. Hermione and Harry looked up at the two men, and frowned.  
  
"Severus, I didn't die! I'm here!" Hermione said. He smiled.  
  
"Of course you are!" he laughed. "How about we get ready to leave for summer vacation?"  
  
"Good idea! Most intelligent thing I've heard today!" Remus replied, laughing. 


	10. Snape Manor Madness

- 10 -  
  
'Snape Manor' was curved into the marble wall that ran along the outskirts of Severus' land. Severus, Sirius, and Remus landed the Nimbus 2001s in front of the oak doors. "This is cool!" Sirius yelled, grinning at him, "Why didn't you tell anyone about this place?"  
  
"I prefer to not brag about my wealth," Severus said softly, Hermione wiggling in his arms. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"Severus, this is your house?" she asked. Severus nodded. Harry and Ron looked at the manor in awe, their mouths hanging open.  
  
"This has to cost a fortune!" Remus gasped, as Severus opened the door. They walked into the giant hall, dropping the trunks they had on the floor.  
  
"I'll go get lunch ready, while you get the cribs and playpens set up," Severus said, putting Hermione down. He disappeared into the kitchen, Hermione walking after him.  
  
"Well, let's go set up..." Sirius suggested. They dragged the trunks up the stairs. "Which way?"  
  
It was nothing but doors and halls. Sirius and Remus found themselves at a dead end hall, Harry and Ron behind them, squealing in chatting in delight. "We..." Remus started.  
  
"...are completely lost," Sirius finished dryly, dropping his trunk. They sat on the trunks to rest, Harry and Ron looking up at them.  
  
"I'm thirsty!" Harry whined. Ron glanced at Harry, and started whining too. Sirius took two sippy-cups out of the diaper bag, and gave them to Harry and Ron.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Remus asked, "We can't use the Marauder Map here, because it is for Hogwarts..."  
  
"I hope Severus comes to find us," Sirius pouted, watching the babies. He fiddled with his wand, and snapped his fingers. "Hey! Why don't we just cause an explosion, so that Severus will come see what happened?"  
  
"Good idea, except it involves destroying something," Remus sighed. Harry and Ron wandered off, while Remus and Sirius talked.  
  
A half-hour later, Sirius looked around, frowning. "Harry? Ron? Where are you?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, great!" Remus muttered, "We lost them!"  
  
"Dumbledore will hex us, if Sev doesn't first!" Sirius cried,. Remus rolled his eyes.  
  
"We have to find them!" he said, using a spell to make the trunk follow him. Sirius did the same, as they started the search.  
  
"Were did they go, Hermione?" Severus asked, sitting down at the table. She was in her high chair. Hermione frowned.  
  
"I don't know!" she squeaked. A crash upstairs answered Severus' question. He jumped up. Grabbing Hermione, he went upstairs.  
  
"What just happened?" he asked, walking into the first library. Books were scattered on the floor, two piles lying on the floor near the case. They moved.  
  
Severus ran over, and picked them up. Harry and Ron looked up dazedly at him.  
  
"Things fall over!" Ron muttered thickly. Severus picked him up, and nodded to the door. Hermione and Harry followed him, uncertain of him.  
  
Sirius and Remus bumped into Severus. Crying, Sirius hugged him. "We got lost!" he sobbed, "Help us! We lost-"  
  
"They are right here," Severus sneered, looking pointedly at the babies. "Lunch is ready."  
  
Once Sirius and Remus learned their way around the manor, things settled down...as much as they could with four two-year-olds, if you included Sirius.  
  
The next two weeks went by without event, except a few statues broken and portraits torn, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione aging to three.  
  
"Hmmm, Ministry arrested 5 Death Eaters..." Remus murmured at breakfast one morning. A black raven flew in, and landed on the table in front of Severs, a letter tied to its leg.  
  
"Whath's thath?" Sirius asked through a mouthful of bacon. Severus frowned at them, and opened the envelope. He read it, and gasped. 


	11. Meeting With Dumbledore

- 11 -  
  
"I don't believe it!" Severus cried, looking at Hermione. She grinned. Sirius and Remus looked at him, worry creasing their brows.  
  
"What's happened, Severus?" Remus asked.  
  
"Yea, what happen?" Hermione asked, along with Ron and Harry.  
  
"Listen to this: 'Dear Miss Hermione Granger, we are disappointed to inform you that Mrs. and Mr. Henry Granger have been in an tragic accident involving Voldemort, and died on June 5. We are undergoing the paperwork to find you a new home. Albus Dumbledore has agreed to pick the person for whom you will be staying...'" Severus read off the parchment, his face extremely pale.  
  
"Oh no..." Sirius whispered, "Not Hermione..."  
  
"It says Dumbledore chooses," Remus commented, "Sev, why don't you ask if you can have her?"  
  
"Me?" he choked. Sirius and Remus nodded. Remus smiled  
  
"Severus, being with Hermione has done so much for you!" he said, "It's healing the old wounds..."  
  
Severus glanced at the little girl, who looked back at him with big brown eyes. "Sad?" she asked.  
  
"Sad..." he muttered, "Hermione, if you picked someone to take care of you for until you were an adult, who would it be?"  
  
"Severus!" she squealed. They looked at each other.  
  
"Well, the does it. We go to Dumbledore today!" Sirius said. After finishing breakfast, and dressing Hermione, Ron, and Harry, they flew to Hogwarts.  
  
"Albus, we have an issue to discuss," Remus said, as they entered the office. Dumbledore looked up at them, and smiled.  
  
"Please, sit down..." he suggested, waving at the chairs. Sirius, Remus, and Severus sat, holding the babies.  
  
"Albus, we came to talk about Hermione," Sirius said. Dumbledore nodded solemnly.  
  
"The letter said you would be picking who she would stay with," Remus started. Severus shook his head.  
  
"I want to be Hermione's guardian!" Severus yelled. They jumped in surprise.  
  
"You, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, "Why?"  
  
"Albus, you know what happened to me! Right after I got out of school!" he sighed, "I lost my wife and child. Hermione just lost her parents."  
  
"Severus, it has been years since you have taken care of children, er, as a father figure. Do you think you can manage a soon to be 16 year old girl?" he asked.  
  
Nodding, Severus looked at Hermione. She frowned at him. "I have taught them since I left the Death Eaters. I think I know plenty about them."  
  
"I can talk to the ministry about it, but they will be skeptical..." Dumbledore said, "You are sure you want the responsibility?"  
  
"Yes, Albus."  
  
"Very well. I will owl them about the situation," Dumbledore replied. He smiled at the children.  
  
"We can't sit around here all day!" Sirius laughed, "Let's go to Hogsmeade for the day!"  
  
"Not until we go back to the manor, and I can get cleaned up!" Severus said, running a hand through his untidy hair. Sirius laughed.  
  
"Sure, Sevvie, ya old dog!" he said, laughing. Severus glared at him.  
  
"See you some other time, Albus," Remus said, as him, Sirius, and Severus walked out, with the three kids. 


	12. Hogsmeade

- 12 -  
  
"Hey, Sirius, could you grab a towel for me?" Remus asked. Nodding, Sirius raced up the stairs. He opened the door to a bathroom.  
  
"Uh oh, better make this quick..." Sirius whispered, hearing the running shower. He grabbed a green towel, and was about to leave when the water turned off.  
  
Severus stepped out, his black hair plastered to his head and neck. He grabbed his robe, and pulled it on. "Eh, h-hi S-severus," Sirius mumbled.  
  
Spinning around, Severus glared at him "What are you doing in here?" he asked slowly, dangerously.  
  
"Getting a towel for R-remus?" Sirius replied. Severus scowled, and glared at him.  
  
"You never heard of knocking?" he asked, walking out, Sirius following suit.  
  
"I thought I would get out before you finished..." Sirius muttered, sighing. He ran back down, before Severus could reply.  
  
"Candy!" Ron, Hermione, and Harry yelled, as they passed Honeydukes. Remus and Severus shook their heads, smiling. Sirius suddenly looked at Severus.  
  
"Hey, you're a professor at Hogwarts, Severus. Could I ask you something?" he asked. Severus nodded. "If a quiz is quizzical, what's a test?"  
  
Severus glared at him. Remus frowned. All of a sudden, Severus started laughing. "Funniest thing I've heard in a month!" he cried.  
  
Sirius relaxed and grinned at Severus. "What so funny?" Ron asked.  
  
"Nothing, Ronnie," Remus replied. Harry and Hermione looked at each other.  
  
"Come on, I need to get some things from, ah," Sirius said, then 'coughed', "Zonko's."  
  
"We'll visit all the stores." Remus commented, "Let's start!"  
  
Sirius, Remus, Harry, and Ron were shopping in Zonko's while Severus and Hermione stood outside. "Immature..." Severus muttered.  
  
"Severus, I bored!" Hermione whined. She cuddled against him, frowning. He ran a hand through her soft hair, looking into the store.  
  
"Sirius, Remus, hurry up already!" he yelled, when he had stuck his head in. Sulking, the four came out of the store.  
  
After the long day in Hogsmeade, they retired to Snape Manor. An owl sat on the statue of a dragon by the stairs when they entered. Remus took the letter, and opened it.  
  
"It's for you, SSS," Remus said, handing it to Severus. He rose an eyebrow.  
  
"'SSS'?" Severus asked.  
  
"'Severus Salazar Snape,'" Remus shrugged, smiling. Severus shook his head, smiling also, and read the letter to himself, Hermione clinging to his leg.  
  
"...GREAT!" he roared, "The ministry wants me to be at a meeting tomorrow about Hermione. Albus, Fudge, and all of them are going to be there.except Malfoy. Strange."  
  
"Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy? The git that raises Draco?" Sirius asked, "That is strange..."  
  
"It also says Hermione has to come..." Severus frowned, "This isn't good. But, we have to go."  
  
The next morning, after waking up a cranky Hermione, Ron, and Harry, Severus climbed onto a Nimbus 2001, Hermione in front of him. Sirius and Remus got on theirs, with Ron and Harry.  
  
"Onward!" Sirius yelled, as they flew toward the ministry building. Cornelius Fudge, dressed in fancy pinstriped robes, greeted them, frowning slightly.  
  
"You know what this meeting is about, don't you?" Fudge asked. Severus nodded.  
  
"Hermione," he said. She looked at him.  
  
"What Severus?" she asked. He shook his head. Fudge lead them into the building.  
  
"This will prove if you get legal guardianship of...Hermione?!" Fudge looked at the three-year-old, who grinned at him. "Geez, I'm going mad!"  
  
"No, you aren't. That's Hermione. Albus will explain later," Remus said, as they entered the meeting. 


	13. Getting Guardianship?

- 13 -  
  
"Quiet, quiet..." Fudge ordered. Silence filled the room slowly. "We are here to discuss about Miss Granger's new guardian. Severus Snape has volunteered for it."  
  
"Snape? You gotta be kidding us, Cornelius!" most of the meeting yelled. Severus scowled. Fudge shook his head.  
  
"No, I am not. I'm just as puzzled, but that is what this meeting is for. To find out why-" Fudge started  
  
"I want Hermione because I want a daughter!" Severus snapped. Everyone stared at him. Remus remembered his story about Ginger, and frowned. He stood up.  
  
"Severus is a wonderful father." Remus stated. He started walking around. "He had cared for her this whole time, since her, um, accident. A lot of children think Severus Snape is the cold, bitter old git of a Potions Master they see in the classroom...he's not."  
  
"Sure, yeah!" a few people muttered. Sirius stood up next to Remus.  
  
"Severus can be very caring when he wants to be." Sirius said, "He hasn't said one sarcastic remark or insult at Hermione, Harry, or Ron."  
  
"Prove it!" they screeched. Severus looked at Hermione. She smiled.  
  
"Everyone, shut up!" Severus ordered. They blinked, and looked at him.  
  
"Severus mad..." Hermione said. Everyone's attention was on Hermione. "Hermione don't want Severus mad. Hermione love Severus."  
  
Most of the meeting 'awww'ed. Remus and Sirius sat back down. Severus smiled at Hermione. "I have experience with children, and not from my teaching either. I had a daughter before now," he said.  
  
"I say Severus Snape gets the guardian ship of her!" a woman said. She smiled at him. Muttering, many of them agreed.  
  
"Well, the settles it!" Fudge said, "Severus, you can come to my office tomorrow to fill out the papers."  
  
"Yes, Cornelius," Severus agreed, getting up. Remus and Sirius followed. They walked out, Harry, Hermione, and Ron walking beside them, clutching their hands.  
  
"Severus, you have Hermione!" Sirius yelled, dancing with Ron. Ron giggled.  
  
"We just have to fill out papers, and it's official!" Severus said, smiling at her. Hermione grinned.  
  
"Oh!" the kids yelped, as they started glowing a dull white. They started growing, looking around franticly at the adults.  
  
"Don't worry," Remus assured them, "It'll be over in a few seconds..."  
  
"It's a good thing we started making their clothes a tiny bit loose on them," Sirius mused. The now 4-year-olds blinked in confusion. They looked up at Severus.  
  
"Let's get make to the manor," he laughed, climbing on a broom with Hermione. A dull throb started in his arm. Frowning, he kicked off the ground, along with Sirius and Remus. 


	14. Office and Feast

- 14 -  
  
"Sign here...here...and here," Fudge said, pointing out each line as he talked. Severus put his signature on each one, the quill scratching against the parchment. "When these go through, you will be the guardian of Hermione Granger."  
  
"Thank you," Severus replied, standing up, stretching his arms. He looked around for Remus and Sirius, who had disappeared about half an hour before with Harry and Ron.  
  
"I will contact you in a week about it, Severus," Fudge muttered, shuffling the paperwork on the desk. Severus nodded, and took Hermione's hand. They walked out, and shut the door.  
  
Hermione whimpered, the chaos of the office they had entered scaring her. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Its OK, Hermione. We'll be out of here soon," Severus cooed.  
  
"Run-a-way baby!" Sirius yelled, tripping in front of them. Harry scrambled over to Severus, trembling. Ron and Remus walked over, pushing past the ministry employees.  
  
"Sirius, you idiot!" Remus sighed, "You have to keep a hold on Harry's hand when in publ-erm, crowded places!"  
  
"Sorry! Harry just, like, slipped away," Sirius said, looking at Harry. Severus glared at him, the two toddlers attached to his legs.  
  
"I would like to leave for the manor. I have that dinner party I have to be at, inevitably," Severus sighed. Remus and Sirius nodded. They held onto Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as they Apparated to Snape Manor.  
  
"Severus looks pretty!" Hermione squealed, clapping her hands, as Severus walked around his room, trying to brush his hair. He was dressed in black and green dress robes.  
  
"Hermione, it's 'handsome,' not 'pretty'!" Severus corrected, smiling. She looked up at him.  
  
"Handsome!" she said, "Severus looks handsome!"  
  
"I do, don't I?" he laughed, tucking his wand into the folds of his robes, "You going to have fun while I'm gone?"  
  
"Fun? Gone?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm going to see some, um, 'friends,'" he replied, "while Remus and Sirius watch you. Will you have fun?"  
  
"I want to go!" she squeaked, bouncing on her heels. Severus shook his head, and sat down.  
  
"You can't, Hermione." Severus said, "There aren't going to be any kids there for you to play with. Why would you want to go there?"  
  
"Be with you and friends," Hermione cooed, snuggling against him, grinning. Severus shook his head again.  
  
"Well, it is only for two hours..." Severus mused, "If you will behave, I'll let you go."  
  
"OK!" Hermione replied. Severus nodded, and stood up. He walked over to the dresser, and pulled some dress robes out for her-purple. She wiggled into it when Severus held it for her.  
  
"We'll see you later!" Severus called, Apparating with Hermione to Hogwarts. He headed up to Dumbledore's office, Hermione skipping beside him. "Kit kats."  
  
The gargoyle moved over, allowing Severus and Hermione to enter. Climbing the long staircase, Hermione hummed, annoying Severus to no end. He opened the door, and they walked in.  
  
Dumbledore's office was decorated, and had one of the long tabled in the middle, plates, glasses, and silverware covering it. Multiple professors roamed the room, talking and laughing.  
  
"Ah, Severus! I heard of what you did! Congratulations!" Professor Flitwick said, bounding across the room to him. Severus frowned.  
  
"What ever are you taking about?" he asked. Flitwick smiled.  
  
"Hermione!" he replied, "The papers are done?"  
  
"Yes..." Severus said lazily, "Is this what this thing is about?"  
  
"Of course, dear Severus!" Flitwick laughed, "Come join us!"  
  
Severus followed him, with Hermione, to the groups of adults. A hush filled the room. Minerva McGonagall cleared her throat. "I say, we all agree that this has surprised us all?" she inquired.  
  
Many of them nodded, smiling. Severus sighed, Hermione smiling up at him. Cursing Dumbledore for making such a big deal of it, he joined in on the feast, taking to them all in spite of his normal icy quietness at Hogwarts.  
  
Looking at Dumbledore, Severus frowned, clutching his left forearm, which started hurting more then before. Hermione squealed, when she started the growing process again-yell, glow, then grow to be five years old.  
  
Weary, Severus and Hermione left at 10 that night, barely Apparating to the manor. 


	15. Surprise, surprise!

- 15 -  
  
Sirius flipped the pancakes onto the counter. "Um, Remus...I think I messed up!" he called.  
  
Sighing, Remus and Severus trudged in looking at the wreck that was once a very spotless kitchen. "What did you do!" Severus asked, eyes wide.  
  
"Making breakfast?" Sirius replied, shrugging, giving them an innocent smile. Remus whipped his wand out, and the mess disappeared. Severus walked over to inspect the 'pancakes,' that looked like a bunch of gooey spots on the counter by the stove.  
  
"Pancakes, Sirius?" Severus said, "More like soup, to me."  
  
"It wasn't as thick as it was suppose to be..." Sirius muttered, frowning. Remus added some ingredients to the batter in the bowl, and stirred.  
  
"Go tend to the children, while we fix your mess..." Severus suggested, pouring Remus' batter into 6 circles. Sirius walked over to the door. As he left, he heard Severus add, "you overgrown 2-year-old!"  
  
Sirius muttered, looking for the three toddlers, finding them sleeping still. He sat down, and looked out the window for the half-hour it took for Remus and Severus to fix breakfast.  
  
Moaning their disagreement, Ron and Harry slowly ate their breakfast. Hermione energetically ate, impatient to see Severus' surprise that he told her about. "Slow down, little one!" Remus said, shocked someone other then Sirius could actually manage to make a mess that big in such a short time.  
  
"Sorry!" Hermione murmured. She finished her pancakes after five minutes. Eagerly, she turned her big eyes to Severus, who was calmly eating his breakfast.  
  
"Where is my surprise?!" she asked. Severus choked. Sirius slapped a hand against his back, pounding him until his choking stopped.  
  
"T-thank you, Sirius," Severus gasped. He wiped his mouth with his napkin, and looked at Hermione. "I'll show you in a few minutes."  
  
"Yay!" she squealed. Harry and Ron had perked up by then, and was looking curiously at him.  
  
"What surprise?" they asked. Severus smiled, and shook his head.  
  
"You'll see in a minute," he said, tipping the plates into the sink. Severus ushered them upstairs, into the library that covered a large portion of the upper floor.  
  
Hermione squealed in delight; the whole two bottom shelves was nothing but books for children, and some of the more complicated books that brainy Hermione Granger would be able to learn to read within a week. Harry and Ron, neither of which didn't read that much, saw books that they wanted to 'read.'  
  
"Happy?" Severus asked, as they tore books out, and peered inside them. They grinned at him.  
  
"Yes!" they yelled, running up to him, hugging Severus. He laughed, and didn't even notice when his arm started bursting with pain.  
  
When Hermione and Harry had went to look at the books, and Ron was in a corner looking at a picture book, Severus gasped. The pain was unbearable, like a knife was being turned in his upper arm.  
  
"Sirius! Remus!" he screamed, wincing. They ran up the stairs, and into the library. Sirius and Remus gave him worried glances.  
  
"What is it?" they asked.  
  
"Watch them...meeting!" Severus choked, running out. What they didn't see, was Hermione streak past them after him. 


	16. The Death Eater Meeting

- 16 -  
  
Severus pulled on his Death Eater cloak on hastily, and put his white mask on. He looked around quickly, making sure no one was around. The Dark Mark glowed black, the fire of pain shooting through his arm again.  
  
Hermione walked in, and peered curiously at him. She pulled on Severus's robe, looking up at him. He looked at her, eyes going wide. Before he could stop, Severus and Hermione Apparated.  
  
"Severus!" the Death Eaters came over to him, smiling behind their masks. "We are so glad you could make it!"  
  
"Who is the little one?" one of the women of the group asked, crouching down by Hermione, smiling.  
  
"Er." Severus looked around, "Gale, her name is, um, Eloise! Yeah, Eloise Snape!"  
  
"Eloise? That's a pretty name!" Gale smiled at Hermione, "How old are you, Eloise?"  
  
Severus tapped her foot with his, and gave her a pleading look. Hermione grinned. "5," she said.  
  
Gale and the rest of them fawned over her, before Voldemort showed up. "Get back into your places!" he barked.  
  
Severus took Hermione's hand. He walked over to his spot. Voldemort paced in front of them. When he got to Severus, he stopped. "So," Voldemort sneered, "This is young 'Eloise'?"  
  
"Yes, My Lord..." Severus muttered. Voldemort glared at him.  
  
"This is no truth!" he roared, "And that is no pureblooded witch!"  
  
The Death Eaters gasped. They glared at him. Severus squirmed, glancing around. "I, um, didn't know?" Severus asked nervously.  
  
"Liar!" they yelled. Voldemort stared down at Hermione.  
  
"What is that thing, Lucius?" he asked.  
  
"The Mudblood Hermione Granger, sir," Malfoy replied. Severus shuddered. Hermione frowned at Malfoy.  
  
"That is very, very bad!" Hermione scolded. Severus put his hand over her mouth, glaring at Malfoy.  
  
"Malfoy, go feed yourself to a dragon," Severus snapped. The Death Eaters looked at Voldemort. He glanced at Hermione.  
  
"You pulled this stunt before, Severus," Voldemort said, "You have got to learn not to bring this filth to our meetings."  
  
"It was an unfortunate accident," Severus said, wincing. Muttering, Malfoy stepped forward.  
  
"I think we should dispose of her, My Lord, like her dirt parents," he suggested. Voldemort sneered.  
  
"Best idea I've heard tonight, Lucius. Gale!" he said. Gale stepped forward.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Kill the Mudblood!" 


	17. Fights

- 17 -  
  
"No, not this time!" Severus shrieked, shielding Hermione from the Death Eaters and Voldemort. The circled around him and Hermione, glaring.  
  
"Severus, what has that thing done to you?" Voldemort asked, sneering, "You have softened. You use to hate Mudbloods...now you are protecting one, with your own body?"  
  
"No one is ever going to hurt Hermione again." Severus snarled, "You have done more damage to her then wanted or needed. She might not feel it now, but when she finds out her parents were murdered, she will be in pain!"  
  
"Get out of the way!" Malfoy snapped, pushing Severus to the side, leaving Hermione exposed. Gale walked up to her, wand pointed.  
  
"Avada Ka-" Gale started the spell, then stopped. With two pops, Sirius and Remus Apparated in front of her, furious.  
  
"You dare try to murder Hermione?" Sirius roared, grabbing her wand. Remus pulled his out, and pointed it at them.  
  
The Death Eaters circled around them hissing insults at Hermione, Remus, Sirius, and Severus. "Severus, you have betrayed us one too many times!" Gale scolded, "Lord Voldemort will get revenge for your traitorous ways!"  
  
"You should have known this would mean instant death, Severus!" Malfoy said, "By what we did to the two Mudbloods that you called a family!"  
  
Severus lunged at Malfoy. They both fell to the ground, Severus beating up Malfoy. Snarling, Malfoy fought back, blood smearing his face and robes.  
  
Using his wand, Severus smashed it into Malfoy's left eye. He screamed in pain, as Severus turned it again and again in a circle. The Death Eaters pulled them apart.  
  
The wand dripped with the crimson liquid. Severus wiped it off, glaring around. Hermione whimpered, stumbling on the way to get to Sirius. He hugged her, soothing her.  
  
"Enough time has been wasted!" Voldemort roared, "Gale, FINISH HER!"  
  
"Yes, My Lord!" she muttered, looking at Hermione. She stole her wand back from Sirius, and pointed it. Severus tackled her.  
  
One of the Death Eaters got their wand out, and yelled, "CRUCIO!"  
  
Hermione started crying, the pain overbearing her. Severus ran over. He cuddled her, muttering. Voldemort put a hand up, and the spell ended. "That is enough!" he snapped.  
  
"Hermione, stay by Sirius and Remus, OK?" Severus asked, looking at Hermione. She nodded, wiping at her face. He stood up and glared at Voldemort. "Everyone I ever loved you destroyed! It's not going to happen again!" he hissed.  
  
"Severus, they were Mudbloods! We had to!" Malfoy gasped, the Death Eaters tending to his eye wound.  
  
"Because my daughter was a muggle-born, you killed her, right in front of my eyes!" Severus said, "But you don't touch Malfoy's kid, and he isn't 'pure-blooded,' as everyone thinks!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Voldemort asked. Severus smirked.  
  
"Narcissa is part muggle-born!" he sniggered. Malfoy frowned.  
  
"She never told me that..." he muttered, "That wench!"  
  
"Why don't you kill Draco off too, then?" Severus continued, unsmiling, "He isn't all pure-blood wizard, now is he?"  
  
"Mostly, he is, though," Gale said, "Narcissa might have a speck of muggle blood in her, but Draco would have barely any!"  
  
"It's there though," Severus replied, looking at Voldemort, "Can't deny it."  
  
Malfoy seethed. He fingered his own wand, waiting for the perfect moment...  
  
"Hermione is the most intelligent witch I have ever met!" Severus said, "Even though no one in her family is magic, she is quite powerful..."  
  
Severus was backing toward the small group slowly. Voldemort sneered. "She is still muggle-born!" he snapped, "Crucio!"  
  
Grinding his teeth, Severus managed to get to Hermione. He grabbed her hand. "Avada Kadavra!" Gale yelled.  
  
The spell failed. Severus and Hermione had Apparated before she finished. Sirius and Remus smirked, and Apparated also. 


	18. Illness

- 18 -  
  
Severus rolled over in bed, frowning. The after affect of Crucio was finally taken its toll on his body, and torturing him. Whimpering, he gulped down a potion to sooth the pain.  
  
A couple rooms away, Remus was lying on his back, listening to Hermione cry in her sleep in her room. He pushed his face into the pillow, knowing he had tried everything for her, and failed.  
  
The next morning, Sirius stretched and yawned, looking at his watch. It was 8 already, and still hadn't gotten dressed! He scrambled around, throwing clothes on.  
  
"Severus! I'll be down for breakfast in a min-" he started. Severus ran out of Hermione's room, and darted into the potions lab. Sirius followed him, Remus joining them  
  
"What's going on? Why are we going in here?" he asked. Sirius shrugged, and turned to Severus, who was pulling multiple items from cabinets.  
  
"Severus, what is up? You ran out of Hermione's room like a werewolf was-" Sirius bit his lip, when Remus glared at him, "er, like a vampire was chasing you!"  
  
"Her-mi-on-e..." Severus replied, "She's sick!"  
  
"Sick? That's it? A COLD?!" Sirius asked, frowning, "Then what's all the panic about?"  
  
"Not a cold. Crucio. It has made her ill, having it performed on her in this state..." the Potions Master said, stirring his potion. He poured it into a glass, and stepped carefully, refusing to let a drop fall.  
  
"So? A potion can fix her right up!" Remus said. Severus shook his head.  
  
"No, it can't. It can reduce her fever, but that's it," he muttered, walking back into Hermione's room. Hermione looked at them, whimpering. She was pale, her eyes half closed.  
  
Severus helped her drink the potion, wincing at her look of displeasure at the taste. "Get some rest. I'll bring you some breakfast in a bit," he assured her, turning off the light, and shutting the door.  
  
"How could a Crucio curse do that?" Remus asked. Severus sighed,  
  
"Her power isn't at it's normal level, so it affects her far worst then me or you," Severus explained, "and when she got hit, it put her system into shock, so..."  
  
He looked at them. Sirius and Remus frowned at Severus. Quietly, he left for the kitchen. Harry and Ron walked out of there room, yawning. "What's going on?' they asked.  
  
"Hermione's sick," Remus sighed, shepherding them downstairs. Severus came back out of the kitchen, carrying a tray with breakfast.  
  
"I'll get the rest of breakfast on the table after a get Hermione comfortable," he said. Remus shook his head.  
  
"No, me and Sirius can do it," Remus replied. Severus nodded, and went upstairs. Sirius went to finish setting the table, while Remus got breakfast out.  
  
Hermione's condition got a bit better after a few days. She managed to be able to get out of bed for meals, then get back in bed.  
  
Sirius sat in the den, reading a magazine about Quidditch, when Harry walked in, frowning. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, seeing the look Harry gave him.  
  
"I..." he started, as the dull white glow started. Sirius sighed, and pulled him up onto his lap, the trembling boy looking at him with wide eyes.  
  
Remus looked in, seeing the newly 6-year-old kid sitting on Sirius' lap, sighing. "Severus said Hermione would be better in a week," he said.  
  
"Good,' Sirius replied, smiling, "What is today, anyway?"  
  
"Um, July 5, I think," Remus muttered, leaving. Sirius shook his head, and let Harry down. Picking up the magazine again, he smiled.  
  
"Lot's of trouble, I say," he sniggered. 


	19. Back To School

- 19 -  
  
"You three better hurry up!" Severus sighed, looking at Hermione, Harry, and Ron, "If you don't you'll end up going to school as 8-year-olds! That means no school for you!"  
  
Hermione looked horrified. Ron and Harry cheered. Sirius laughed at Severus. "Is that so bad?" he asked.  
  
"Yes!" Severus hissed, "These children need an education!"  
  
"A few weeks off won't damage them for life!" Sirius sighed. Remus shook his head.  
  
"That means they are behind then!" Remus commented, "We can't have that!"  
  
"Um, is the word 'tutor' in your vocabulary?" Sirius asked. Severus rolled his eyes, shaking his head.  
  
"I'm going to go get my school stuff packed for the start of term," he said, walking out.  
  
Severus, Sirius, and Remus lead the kids across the corridor of Hogwarts. Going down into the dungeon, Severus dumped the trunks on the floor of his chambers.  
  
"Let's get rest." Remus said, "Tomorrow the students come."  
  
And the students did come. The Hogwarts Express dropped off the students in Hogsmeade, the 1st Years taking the boats to Hogwarts castle.  
  
Severus, Remus, and Sirius sat at the Teacher's table, along with the teachers. Professor McGonagall frowned at Severus, who nodded at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were already nine.  
  
"HiProfessorMcGonagall!" Hermione yelled, hyper already. McGonagall smiled at her.  
  
"How are you Hermione?" she asked. Hermione beamed.  
  
"Good!" she squeaked. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes.  
  
"Hermione, we are still on break!" they whined.  
  
"I like talking to teachers!" she huffed. Many of the professors laughed, smiling at them.  
  
"It'll be soon, before they are back to normal," Professor Flitwick said, "Then we can all forget about it!"  
  
Severus frowned at his plate. 'I can never forget about it...' he thought, looking at Hermione.  
  
"As I am sure you all are a bunch of dunderheads, like I get every year," Severus snarled at his 1st year Gryffindor/Slytherin students, "you will most likely not see the beauty of potion making. The look of the simmering liquids, the smell of the fumes, the feel of the ingredients..."  
  
He glared around at the students, who were more concerned with watching Hermione then paying attention to him. "Ten points from Gryffindor!" he barked. Groaning, they scowled at the Slytherins, who were beaming.  
  
"That isn't fair!" they yelled, "The Slytherins are doing the same thing!"  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor!" Severus hollered. The rest of the lesson went by smoothly, with no more points being taken off.  
  
"Severus, that was mean!" Hermione scolded, wrapping herself around his knees and ankles, as the students left. Severus looked at her.  
  
"Hermione, I'm a teacher: I'm supposed to discipline them!" he said. She frowned at him.  
  
Sirius and Remus were teaching DADA together. Harry and Ron were left to their own devises. Walking around the empty corridors, they searched around for something to do.  
  
Professor Dumbledore walked out of his office, along with Minister Fudge. "Cornelius, you must understand, Voldemort is alive and kicking," Dumbledore insisted.  
  
"No, no! You must be wrong, Dumbledore!" Fudge said. Dumbledore shook his head. He spotted Harry and Ron, and smiled.  
  
Ron ran behind Fudge. Grinning, he grabbed the cloak, and pulled. As Fudge stepped forward, the tug was enough to pull him down. Giggling, Ron hid behind Dumbledore.  
  
"Who-" Fudge looked at the boys, and frowned. "Dumbledore, what happened to these two?"  
  
"Young Harry and Ron were also in the accident that Hermione was in," Dumbledore replied, helping Fudge up. Dusting off, he looked at Dumbledore sharply.  
  
"And no notice was given of it?" he asked, "Dumbledore, this is highly dangerous! Not telling the Ministry..."  
  
"Cornelius, I am very sure this is not dangerous. Quite contrary, actually. It gives Harry a childhood to love!" Dumbledore said, leading him away. Harry and Ron smiled, and ran off.  
  
"Severus, I'm ten!"  
  
"Huh?" Severus looked at Hermione, who stood next to him, grinning. "Oh, yes, you are..."  
  
"So are we!" Harry and Ron added. Sirius laughed.  
  
"And me!" he said. Remus punched him in the arm, glaring. Severus laughed, shaking his head.  
  
"Immature idiot," he muttered, going back to his chess game with Remus. Hermione trotted out, and went to the library. Madam Pince smiled kindly at her.  
  
"Hello, dear. Can I help you?" she asked. Some of the students looked at Hermione, frowning. Madam Pince never acted that nice to them!  
  
"No, I can find for myself," she replied, walking into the Transfiguration section. Grabbing a few books from the various subjects, she took them to Severus' chambers.  
  
Taking a seat in front of the fire, she opened the first one, a Charms book, and started reading. Harry and Ron frowned at her. They played mini-Quidditch, using bewitched broomstick toys, and toy players.  
  
"Why do you have to read?" Ron asked, "We don't have school!"  
  
"To be caught up!" Hermione relied, "It won't be long 'til we're in school!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Harry said. Sirius glanced at them.  
  
"You three having fun?" he asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good!" he said. A knock at the door announced the arrival of a guest. 


	20. James is back! Wait, No, It's Just Harr...

- 20 -  
  
Harry and Ron, laughing, ran into Professor McGonagall. "Hi, Professor!" they giggled.  
  
"Hello, boys. How are you?" she asked. They grinned at her.  
  
"Good!"  
  
"I have a class to teach!" she said, "Good-bye."  
  
Harry and Ron followed her to the Transfiguration classroom. She allowed them in, baffled.  
  
The 7th year Gryffindors and Slytherins! Harry ran over to Seamus. "Can I borrow your wand?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" Seamus asked, glancing around. Harry grinned, and whispered in his ear. Laughing, Seamus handed the wand to him. Ron grinned when Harry returned with it.  
  
"Today, we will study more deeply about Animagus then we did before..." McGonagall said. Ron took the wand, and planted himself behind her. Waving it around, he muttered, "Colorus, Rainbowus!"  
  
McGonagall's black hair turned into a rainbow of colors: reds, blues, greens, yellows...  
  
The students giggled. Harry snuck over to Seamus, and gave back the evidence. Smiling, Seamus thanked him. Snickering, Harry and Ron sat in the corner, watching the stern professor.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted the class. McGonagall opened the door with her wand. Severus waked in. He blinked, looking at her. Hiding his laughter, he managed to bark out, "Minerva, erm, you have a very interesting taste in hair color..."  
  
McGonagall frowned at him. "What ever are you talking about Severus?" she asked.  
  
Sniggering, Severus replied smoothly, "Look in a mirror, you'll see..."  
  
She narrowed her eyes, and walked over to a mirror sitting on her desk. Picking it up, she looked. The shout of rage was heard five classrooms away. Ron and Harry howled with laughter. Severus finally broke: he laughed so hard, a stitch was forming in his side.  
  
"HAAAAAAAAARRY! ROOOOOOOOON! SEEEEEVEEEEERUUUUUS!" she screeched. Grinning, Severus shrugged, and exited quickly, taking a very giggly Harry and Ron with him.  
  
"You two, if you get into trouble again, I'll lock you up with the Bloody Baron..." he said. Harry and Ron snuck away around a corner, leaving Severus talking to air.  
  
The two Mini-Marauders ran through the halls. One teacher needed a good trick done to her, to straighten her out...  
  
Going up North(?) Tower, Ron and Harry headed up to the Divination Classroom. They hurried up the ladder, and crept in. Trelawney was talking about tealeaves. Harry shuddered.  
  
"To read the tea leaves, you turn the cup counter-clock wise..." she was saying, looking around. Harry decided on the perfect revenge. He ran up to the desk, grabbed a candle sitting on it, and walked over to the fire. Lighting it, he trotted over to Trelawney.  
  
Holding it to her shawl, with hung to the floor, it caught fire. She looked at him, and at her burning shawl. Trelawney screamed, running to the boiling teapots. She dumped the water out of them, onto herself.  
  
As much use that had, she might as well just hit it with leaves. It got worst. She bolted down the ladder, and through the corridors, out the doors, and to the Lake.  
  
Trelawney jumped in, the fire going out. The students blinked, the shock and confusion dying down. They laughed, the Divination teacher coming back in, peeved.  
  
"GET OUT!" she screamed. The students, Ron, and Harry left, giggling and laughing. She tended to her burnt robes and shawls.  
  
Sirius and Remus saw the flood of bodies come from the tower, and frowned. "what's going on?" Remus asked.  
  
"Trelawney got burned!" a girl said, grinning. Harry and Ron struggled out of the groups, and stood in front of them, smug looks on their faces.  
  
"OK, what did you two do?" Remus said. Harry and Ron shook their heads.  
  
"Nothing!" they replied. Severus trotted over, Hermione following.  
  
"Don't even tell me," he said, looking at the two boys, frowning.  
  
"They got Trelawney!!!" Sirius cheered, "That old bat didn't predict that coming!"  
  
Severus laughed. Trelawney! Of all the people! "Good choice!" he whispered, grinning.  
  
They smiled, Hermione tutting them. 


	21. School Starts For the Trio

- 21 -  
  
Severus trudged through the leaves on the school grounds, Harry and Hermione following him the whole way. Ron was reluctant to go near him, after what they did to the teachers, even though he thought they were hilarious.  
  
"Aren't we suppose to talk to Dumbledore?" Harry asked. Severus froze. He nodded.  
  
"We are...right now!!!" he screamed, running toward the castle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione trotted after him, cloaks whipping about.  
  
They got up to Dumbledore's office in relatively good time. "I'm...sorry...Albus...lost track...of time..." Severus panted, looking at the elderly man.  
  
"It's quite alright, Severus. It happens," Dumbledore said kindly. Smiling, Dumbledore waved for them to sit.  
  
"What did you need to talk to us about?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore chuckled.  
  
"Well, since you three turned 11 a couple days ago, you will be going into 7th year!" he said. Hermione howled in happiness. Harry and Ron groaned. "As you progress up to your normal age, you will go up the years."  
  
"Aren't they due for class right now?" Severus asked. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Yes...oh! So are you! You have a class to teach!" Dumbledore said, "The Gryffindor and Slytherin 7st years!"  
  
"You have got to be kidding me?" Harry said, "Potions? Now?"  
  
"Yes." Dumbledore replied, "You four better go, so you aren't late!"  
  
"Yes, Albus," Severus said, standing up. Harry, Ron, and Hermione scrambled up, and left with him.  
  
"Potions!" Ron scoffed, "Why us!"  
  
"Ron, you seem less then thrilled with Potions. What's wrong with it?" Severus asked.  
  
"You're strict, it's cold down there, and you have to use things that are unwanted in the potions. Shall I go on?" Ron replied. Severus shook his head.  
  
"We are going to be studying about...vampires!" Sirius announced. Harry and Ron yawned. They were in the back of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Hermione looked excited.  
  
"Hermione, we should be on vacation!" Harry sighed  
  
"No! We need to get an education, no matter the circumstances!" she huffed, glaring at him and Ron.  
  
"Whatever," Ron commented. Sirius frowned at them from the front of the room.  
  
"Quiet please!!" he said. Harry snorted, not believing one of the four mauraders was telling him to behave.  
  
"This is wrong!" Ron whimpered, collapsing into a chair in the Gryffindor common room. "We shouldn't have to study!"  
  
"Professor Dumbledore said we have to stay in the dungeon still!" Hermione commented, flipping through her Transfigurations book, "We should start heading down there."  
  
"We just got here!" Harry cried, "Can't we stay a little longer?"  
  
"Severus will start getting worried!" she replied, "No!!!"  
  
"Oh, fine!" Ron mumbled, grabbing his books, and walking out of the common room.  
  
"Where were you three at?" Remus asked, smiling at them.  
  
"The common room." Harry replied, and looked at Hermione. "She made us come back."  
  
"Well, Professor Dumbledore said-" she started. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"We know!" he said. Severus laughed, setting down the book he was reading.  
  
"Come now, what were you three going to do in there anyway?" he asked.  
  
"Talk?" Harry replied, shrugging.  
  
"You can't do that down here?" Sirius asked. Ron and Harry shrugged, frowning. They settled themselves around the room, chatting and doing the homework assigned in the classes.  
  
Later in the night, one of the many Deatheaters snuck down into the dungeons. They used their wand to unarm the charms on the doors, and entered.  
  
A potion bottle fell and broke on the stone floor. Ron awoke with a start, waking up Harry in the process. 


	22. The Note

- 22 -  
  
Ron frowned at Harry, and shrugged. "Sorry," he muttered, getting up. Harry muttered darkly, and rolled over to go back to sleep.  
  
Quietly, Ron snuck over to the den. He peeked around the corner. Hermione was lying on the couch, book lying open on her chest. The doorknob of the wooden door across the room from her turned, and opened.  
  
A black-clad Deatheater entered, looking around. He looked back, and frowned at the potion bottle lying broken on the ground. Glaring at the sleeping figure, he started the walk over.  
  
Hermione stirred, as the footsteps came closer. She glanced at him. "Severus?" she asked groggily.  
  
"Barely," he said, pulling a wand out. Hermione shrieked, the book falling to the floor. He stunned her with a spell, and snatched her from the couch. Using the wand to conjure a note, he ran out, dragging Hermione along.  
  
Ron whimpered, and ran into Sirius and Remus' room. He jumped into Sirius' bed, and shook him awake. "SIRIUS!!!!" he yelled.  
  
"What?" Sirius asked, glaring at him with weary eyes. Ron panicked.  
  
"Hermione! A Deatheater kidnapped her!!!" he screamed. A thump was heard from behind the wall to their right. A few seconds later, Severus tumbled in, rubbing his foot.  
  
"Hermione?! Kidnapped?" he wheezed. Sirius raised an eyebrow questioningly at Remus.  
  
"He must have super-powers of perfect hearing, to of heard that through a stone wall?" he said.  
  
"Ron yelled loud enough to wake the school," Remus shrugged. Severus looked at Ron, as Harry walked in.  
  
"Hermione has been kidnapped?" he asked. Ron nodded, and showed the note to Severus.  
  
"'To S.S.: We have taken the Mudblood, Hermione Granger. If you want her back, you must give us 100,000 galleons, and if you don't'...'she shall die a painful, unmerciful death'..." Severus read, frowning.  
  
"Oh no!" Harry and Ron cried. Severus ran out of the room, startling the small group. They heard him bounding through the dungeons, crashes and bangs sounding all over the place.  
  
Sirius and Remus were just getting up, and getting dresses, when Severus came back in, black robes and all. "Hurry! Get dressed! We must save Hermione!!!!" he hissed, hastily getting Harry and Ron some clothes.  
  
After a hectic few minutes, they left the dungeons. Severus turned to Harry and Ron. "You two are to go straight to the Albus," he said stiffly, "Me, Sirius, and Remus must do this without you."  
  
Harry and Ron nodded dejectedly, and walked away. Ron smirked. "Like WE are going to let them save Hermione?" he asked, grinning. Harry smiled, and pulled the invisibility cloak out, and draped it over him and Ron.  
  
Quietly, they snuck next to Sirius, and left the castle with them. When Sirius, Severus, and Remus had Apparated in Hogsmeade, Harry used his wand to get the Firebolt 2000, and Ron climbed on with him.  
  
They flew swiftly across the country, to Malfoy Manor. 


	23. Avada Kadavra

- 23 -  
  
"Reckon Malfoy has 'Mione?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged. He flew around the manor, looking into the many windows. Creeping in, Harry and Ron entered through a window.  
  
"Hope nothing knocks this cloak off us," Harry whispered, as they tip- toed out of the room. The darkness didn't surprise them.  
  
When their eyes had adjusted to the dark, Harry and Ron searched Malfoy Manor. Nothing came up. No Hermione. Not even the family was there.  
  
"Strange," Ron said, frowning, "You'd think even Draco Malfoy would be here...maybe a house elf, or something to show that they still live here."  
  
"Yeah," Harry agreed, frowning also. They went to the front door, and pulled it open. To their horror, Narcissa Malfoy stood before them, eyes wide.  
  
"Waves, is that you?" she asked, looking around. She shrugged, and walked past them. Harry and Ron sighed in relief, and scampered out.  
  
All the while, Severus, Sirius, and Remus Apparated in front of Riddle House. They silently hid in the shadows, walking around the house, until they were able to sneak through the back door.  
  
"Quiet now," Severus said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked around a corner, before waving them forward.  
  
A light suddenly turned on, blinding them. Row after row of people in black cloaks surrounded them. They went pale. Voldemort stood up from his chair, red eyes glittering.  
  
"No Harry, Snape?" he asked, "Surprising, since she IS his friend..."  
  
"We have come to get her back!" Remus said, stepping forward. Severus pulled him back.  
  
"Were have you put her?!" Sirius demanded, glaring at them. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"She is safe...for now. Until we get the money, Potter, and Snape," he said, giving Severus a death look, "she will remain here, and will be tortured."  
  
"Over my dead body!" Severus hissed. Malfoy pulled his wand out, his son doing the same.  
  
"May I, Our Lord?" he asked. Voldemort nodded. "Crucio, Crucio, Crucio!!!"  
  
Severus cringed, trying to push the curse out. Sirius and Remus pulled out their wands, and tried to hex the Deatheaters. In retaliation, they hexed back.  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "You know any other places they could be?" Ron asked. He yelped. They both were growing. "Oh, we are turning 12!!!"  
  
"Yeah, just one..." Harry replied, climbing onto the Firebolt. Ron got on after him, after the dull pain of growing stopped.  
  
"Where?" he questioned. Harry frowned.  
  
"Riddle Manor," the black-haired boy said, urging the broom forward.  
  
Sirius, Remus, and Severus thought that the end was nearing, their vision going black. "Good-bye, Snape," Voldemort said.  
  
Harry and Ron flew through the shut window, showering the Deatheaters with glass. Gasping, Severus looked at them. "I told you to stay at Hogwarts!" he barked.  
  
"You're lucky we didn't," Ron smirked, "You would be dead."  
  
Sirius and Remus stumbled up, helping the third. Severus sighed. "Let's get Hermione!" he screamed, using his strongest Avada Kadavra.  
  
Many of the Deatheaters dropped to the ground, dead. Severus blinked. Sirius and Remus had their wands pointed, panting. They, too, had used the killing curse.  
  
"Time to save Hermione!" Harry and Ron yelled, charging forward with the three grown men. 


	24. Hermione's Rescue

- 24 -  
  
Severus felt someone slam into him, knocking him to the ground. Draco Malfoy had left his father's side, to attack him. "Get off of me, you dunderhead!!!" he howled, shoving him to the side.  
  
Harry and Ron wiggled their way past, using the invisibility cloak. They swept past Voldemort, who was paying more attention to the fight then anything else.  
  
Remus hexed the Deatheaters away, slowly making progress across the room. Sirius was dealing with the group attacking him.  
  
Hermione cried. She was locked up in a cold dungeon, with no one to keep her company. No one even came to the door, to make sure she wasn't trying to get out.  
  
She stood up, and paced across the floor. Hermione turned and looked at the door, when she heard talking. "Quiet, we don't want to get caught!!!"  
  
"I know! It's hard to when a certain someone keeps stepping on my feet!"  
  
"Harry! Ron!" she squeaked. They stopped.  
  
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Harry asked.  
  
"Where are you?" Ron asked. Hermione stuck her hand out the barred door window.  
  
"I'm in here!" she whispered. Harry and Ron looked through the bars at Hermione's scared face.  
  
"Don't worry. We'll get you out!" Harry said, taking his wand out. He tapped the doorknob, and it sprang open.  
  
"Thank you, boys!" she said, hugging them. They nodded, and got her under the cloak also. They left.  
  
Severus and Remus blasted a group of Deatheaters across the room. Sirius was in a duel with Lucius Malfoy. Voldemort was getting bored of it, and blasted them all unconscious.  
  
Everyone lay on the floor, many bleeding, with boils and warts all over their bodies from numerous hexes and jinxes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione gasped.  
  
Voldemort turned and looked in their direction. His red eyes fell onto the spot they stood at. He stood up, and glided over.  
  
"Take off that useless cloak. I can see through it," he ordered. Harry pulled it off them, fuming. Voldemort had his wand out. Hermione saw past, to Severus, Sirius, and Remus.  
  
"You have stumbled right into my grasp, Harry Potter..." Voldemort started. Hermione muttered a spell. Severus slowly woke up, and glanced around.  
  
He saw Hermione, and jumped up. "AVADA KADAVRA!!!" Severus hissed.  
  
A flash of red light, and ten seconds later, Voldemort lay dead. Ron frowned in confusion. The three men looked at each other.  
  
Severus looked at Hermione, to see that she too, had her wand out. And it was glowing gold. 'Odd,' he thought, 'Avada Kedavra is suppose to be green, but is was red, and Hermione's wand is glowing gold...!'  
  
He gasped, looking at Hermione with wide eyes. 


	25. Heroine Hermione?

- 25 -  
  
Hermione looked at Severus, frowning. "What is going on?" she asked.  
  
Severus let it sink in. Hermione was in Gryffindor. Gryffindor's colors were red and gold. The Avada Kedavra was red... "Hermione, you just defeated Voldemort," he said softly.  
  
"What? How?" Hermione stuttered, glancing at the dead corpse lying nearby. Sirius and Remus walked over, kicking the Deatheaters out of the way. Severus pulled a vial out of his robes, and looked at it.  
  
"Hermione, you are going to become as famous as Harry is, if not more so. You will have a lot to endure," Severus said, "It is time I pushed my fears to the side, and give this to you three."  
  
"What is it?" Remus asked. Severus sighed.  
  
"This, is a potion which will hopefully make up grow to your normal age again, in one shot, not these little spurts," he replied, "It's a new made potion, that's why I never mentioned it before."  
  
"Really?" Harry asked, "Then, we can go back to normal? And I can play Quidditch again?"  
  
"Yes, Harry," Severus said. He opened it. Handing it to Ron, he backed off. Ron sniffed, and sipped it. Shuddering, he handed it to Hermione. She did the same, and gave Harry the remaining potion. He drank it.  
  
Ron and Hermione screamed, Harry starting a few seconds later. The sound of their bones and skin stretching, growing, and their clothes stretching to breaking point filling the silent air.  
  
Sirius and Remus winced, remembering that same pain. Severus looked away. He waved his hand, and walls formed around them. With such drastic changes in size, their clothes would not hold. It would've become a very awkward situation indeed.  
  
"Severus, this hurts! What was that?!?!?" Hermione's yelled. Ri-i- i-i-i-i-ip! There went their clothing. Sirius used his wand to transfigure some Deatheater robes into Gryffindor robes, and tossed them over the walls.  
  
About two hours passed, the moans of pain, and crunch of bones, being the only sounds heard. Harry was the first to use his wand to knock his front wall down, revealing the 17-year-old. Ron was next.  
  
Hermione knocked hers down, and stepped out. Severus, Sirius, and Remus stood up, and helped clean up the mess of ripped cloth, and the jumble of bodies on the floor.  
  
"We must inform Albus of this," Severus said. He Apparated with Hermione, while Sirius and Remus went with Harry and Ron.  
  
"You are up late. What has happened?" Dumbledore asked, as they walked in.  
  
"Albus, I gave them the potion," Severus sighed. He waved the three teens forward. Dumbledore peered at above his spectacles, and smiled.  
  
"I see it worked," he chuckled, "What has happened, for you to be so grim, Severus?"  
  
Sirius and Remus started the explanation, while Severus got his bearings back. Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat in the middle of them. "And then Hermione used Avada Kedavra-" Sirius stated.  
  
"And killed Voldemort," Remus finished. Severus told Dumbledore about the rest. Harry put in details that the adults couldn't.  
  
"I see," Dumbledore said, "I say, we can talk this over tomorrow, when the shock has worn off! Go on to bed."  
  
Nodding, they left. Severus curled up in his bed, his mind swirling with questions and thoughts. 


	26. The End of 7th Year

- 26 -  
  
The Great Hall was buzzing with life. The school was in an uproar, over the death of Voldemort. They were celebrating it...most of them, anyway. Draco Malfoy and a small group of other Slytherins were moping about, devastated.  
  
Dumbledore stood up, and tapped his glass with a spoon. "As you all very well know, Voldemort has been conquered. The other professors and I have been looking into the cause of it, and found the person that is in credited to the whole wizarding world..." he paused, looking around, "That person is..."  
  
"Harry Potter?" a Hufflepuff asked. Dumbledore laughed, and shook his head.  
  
"No, it is not." he said, "It was Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor 7th year."  
  
A gasp resounded through the Hall. Many of the students turned, looking in their direction. Hermione picked at her food, blushing. "Harry, now I know what it's like, being 'famous.'"  
  
Harry snorted. "You think this is bad? You just wait 'til the whole of the world knows!" he muttered.  
  
"Don't worry, 'Mione...we're behind you the whole way," Ron said. Hermione smiled, and nodded.  
  
Many days later, most of Gryffindor had settled down, and treated Hermione as usual, like any other *normal* school day. A small portion of Slytherin treated her with more respect then before, giving her secret greetings. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were acting like they were in the presence of a goddess.  
  
"The exams will be on the Wolfsbane Potion..." Severus announced, sweeping through the classroom, "This potion is partially complicated, so it would do well to study, if you have not yet got the recipe through your thick skulls."  
  
"Funny, huh? Be mean and evil in 'Professor Snape' mode, and be Mr. Nice in 'Severus' mode," Ron whispered, flipping through the potions book.  
  
"Mr. Weasley, that will be twenty points form Gryffindor, for talking in my class!" Severus snapped.  
  
"Hermione is helping me study!" Ron complained. Severus raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical look.  
  
"Indeed?" he sneered, walking over, "Let's see, by the looks of it, you aren't even on the right page...That will be another ten, for lying to a teacher."  
  
Severus bent over, looking at Harry's and Hermione's book. "No points will really be taken off," he whispered, looking at Hermione. Nodding, Severus stood upright, and strode off.  
  
"Harry, what are you going to do after we get out of school?" Hermione asked, curling up in a chair near the fire. Harry shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe, I'll become a seeker for a Quidditch team," Harry replied. Hermione turned to Ron.  
  
"I want to be an Auror," he mumbled. Hermione nodded.  
  
"I might be a teacher here," she commented, smiling. Going back to their own things, silence filled the room again.  
  
Harry and Ron climbed onto the Hogwarts Express. Hermione was about to, when a hand grabbed her shoulder. "Wait up! Harry!" she yelled.  
  
Hermione turned and looked at Severus, who was frowning. He shook his head, looking at the train. "Hermione, you aren't going to be taking the train," he said grimly.  
  
"What? Why not?" she asked, looking back to see Harry and Ron looking at her from the open door. Severus sighed.  
  
"I am not going to cover up. Your parents are not going to be picking you up at the station, because they are dead."  
  
"Dead?" Hermione gasped. Tears started falling. "Why? How?"  
  
"Voldemort. The monster killed them," Severus muttered. Hermione broke down sobbing. Glancing around, he hugged her, shushing her. "It's alright."  
  
"Severus...why did he have to kill them?" she asked, "What am I going to do? Where am I going to stay?"  
  
"Hermione, it happened when you were still, er, two," Severus said, "Dumbledore looked for a guardian for you, and found one."  
  
"Who?" she asked. He looked at her, his black eyes worried.  
  
"Well, me," he said, shrugging. Hermione gave him a strange look, as if he were insane.  
  
"You?" Hermione asked. Severus nodded, looking at Harry and Ron.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but...with the students..." he said, trailing off. Most everyone had boarded the train, leaving them alone on the platform.  
  
Hermione gave Severus a smile, before attaching herself to him. "Severus, thank you," she whispered, "I would've been moping about for weeks if you told me during school! My grades would have suffered!"  
  
Laughing, Severus peeled her off. "Yeah, A+ to an A. Wow, the world will come to an end!" he said, "Harry, Ron, I'll be here for a week or so more, before going to the manor. Come visit, if you like."  
  
"Can I stay here, with you?" Harry asked, "I mean, Sirius is free, and will be leaving for his house soon, too. Why have him have to fetch me from the Dursley's?"  
  
Severus looked at him thoughtfully. "It's fine with me," he replied, shrugging.  
  
Grinning, Harry ran to get his stuff off the train. Ron muttered a good-bye to Harry, Hermione, and Severus, before boarding the train.  
  
Wheels turning, the Hogwarts Express rolled forward on the track, away from Hogsmeade. Hermione and Harry followed Severus away from the town, walking towards the castle.  
  
Their lives after school just began. 


End file.
